Attorney: Arkansas man fatally shot by rangers had BB gunYELLVILLE — An attorney representing the family of a man who was fatally shot by two park rangers while camping in northern Arkansas says the camper had a BB pistol on him. A statement from Buffalo National River officials says the park rangers fired at 34-year-old Jonathan Bolger on Aug. 20 after he refused to drop the weapon. Attorney David Ransin says the BB gun didn't have an orange tip on the barrel to indicate that it wasn't a real weapo...

State police working on training for gun law expansionLITTLE ROCK — An Arkansas law dramatically expanding where concealed handguns are allowed will take effect this week, but the training needed to carry those guns to college campuses, bars, government buildings and other new locations may not be available until early next year. After the law takes effect Friday, Arkansas State Police will have 120 days to design the additional training requirements which concealed handgun licensees will need to...

Arkansas man given probation for illegal excavationFORT SMITH— An Arkansas man has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay fines and restitution for illegally excavating prehistoric bluff shelters in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest western Arkansas. Online court records show David Tudor was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith after pleading guilty in April as part of a plea agreement. He also was fined $2,500, paid nearly $12,500 restitution and fo...

Arkansas nonprofit's $12.6M project to aid Kenyan farmersLITTLE ROCK — An Arkansas nonprofit has launched a $12.6 million project to help 30,000 farmers in Kenya increase the quantity and improve the quality of the milk they produce. Little-Rock based Heifer International announced the public-private partnership on Tuesday. The project is slated to last four years and will involve animal health training, livestock feeding, business development, milk handling and hygiene. The Swedish International De...

SAF-HOLLAND announces expansion plans in southeast ArkansasDUMAS— A Luxembourg-based company that makes chassis-related systems for trailers, trucks, buses, and recreational vehicles has announced plans to expand its operations in southeastern Arkansas. SAF-HOLLAND officials said Tuesday the company will open a new facility in the old Federal-Mogul building in Dumas and expand its workforce by about 65 employees. The company says the plant currently has 143 employees. The company says the expansion is...

Little Rock elementary school cancels congressman's visitLITTLE ROCK— A Little Rock elementary school has canceled a Republican congressman's visit to its campus after learning that some parents planned to protest the lawmaker. U.S. Rep. French Hill of Arkansas was scheduled to visit the Gibbs Magnet Elementary on Monday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. Principal Donna Hall told parents Sunday evening that she made the decision to cancel because she was concerned that a "protest would be a d...

Arkansas city mulls court order for hotel engineering reportHOT SPRINGS— Hot Springs officials are considering seeking a court order to urge local hotel to release an engineering report that says the hotel isn't safe. The city has access to the report and can view it at any time, Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa General Manager Bob Martorana told The Sentinel-Record . But he said he won't give the city a copy because the hotel paid for it. "We shared it with (Chief Building Official) Mike Scott for several...

Facebook expands partnership with Arkansas schoolsHOT SPRINGS — Facebook is expanding a partnership with Arkansas and will donate virtual reality kits to every public high school in the state. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Monday the state and the social media giant are expanding the TechStart Partnership, which was announced earlier this year to generate interest in computer science careers and instruction. Facebook originally donated 400 virtual reality classroom kits, including co...

Developers look for buyer for Arkansas power plantPARAGOULD— A historic industrial property in downtown Paragould is on the market after years of deterioration and neglect. The city's original power plant, which Paragould Light, Water and Cable reacquired in July, was slated for demolition until local residents and Main Street Paragould stepped in and asked to find a buyer interested in renovating the space. "It's a great building," Main Street Paragould Director Gina Jarrett said. "The prope...

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By GRAYCEN COLBERT BIGGER, Arkansas BusinessThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Jonesboro journalist, officer retires after decadesJONESBORO— Over the past 30 years, the Jonesboro media has seen good times, bad times and large scale changes, but one name has been consistent throughout all of it — Paul Holmes. Media and law enforcement members gathered Aug. 15, along with Holmes' family and friends, to say goodbye to a man who covered and worked for law enforcement for over 30 years. "It has been a great opportunity for me, but it's time for me to move on," Holmes said. "T...

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By STEPHEN SIMPSON, The Jonesboro SunThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Additional payments to be made in Arkansas cigarette lawsuitLITTLE ROCK— Additional payments have been ordered to about 9,500 people who filed claims in a $45 million settlement of a lawsuit over Marlboro Lights and Ultra-Lights cigarettes. Those who received less than $400 because their claims were deemed faulty will receive the difference, up to $300. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Pulaski County Circuity Judge Tim Fox ordered the payments Friday after hundreds of people filed questions about ...

Cotton talks about Mexico wall, Confederate monumentsLITTLE ROCK — U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton said Wednesday he is hopeful that Congress backs President Trump's plan to build a wall on the country's southern border and also says local communities should decide what to do with Confederate monuments. Arkansas' junior senator spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday after presenting the survivors of a World War II veteran with medals he had earned. The family of George Anderson of Black Rock met with C...

Arkansas governor proceeds with Human Services proposalLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's administration is moving forward with a proposed state Department of Human Services technology contract despite a majority of senators voting twice against reviewing the proposal. House members voted 21-2 to review the proposed contract, but senators voted 9-6 and 10-6 against the review. Some lawmakers have criticized the department's proposed three-year, $75.3 million contract with Deloitte Consul...

Search warrant application accuses Arkansas senator of fraudFORT SMITH— An Arkansas senator is being accused of using more than $25,000 of General Improvement Fund money for personal use, according to U.S. District Court documents. A search warrant against Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith, was sought in relation to violation of federal wire-fraud and money-laundering laws, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported . It seeks to seize electronic equipment from FFH Construction LLC., which Files owns. The affi...

Harrison hospital loses battle with assessor over clinic taxHARRISON — A judge says property taxes are due from a clinic run by the operator of the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center. The Harrison Daily Times reported Wednesday that a special judge ruled in favor of Boone County Assessor Karen Hardesty. North Arkansas Medical Services Inc., which operates the hospital and clinic, said it would appeal. Hospital President and CEO Vince Leist says everyone who works in the clinic is a hospital employe...

Woman's body found in Arkansas is that of Alabama womanJACKSONVILLE— A body found in central Arkansas has been identified as that of an Alabama woman. Arkansas State Police say the remains of 23-year-old Laramie Cline were found Sunday at Lake Pickthorne near Jacksonville, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock. Her hometown was not immediately available. Police say the body was identified by the state Crime Laboratory. Police say a man who was stopped while driving Cline's vehicl...

Attorney files second lawsuit against Fort SmithFORT SMITH — An attorney has filed a second lawsuit against officials in Fort Smith, saying they violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act by discussing city business in emails. The lawsuit was filed Monday against city directors on behalf of a local resident, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. It alleges that Andre Good, Keith Lau and Mike Lorenz violated the law when they sent emails to the other city directors expressing their o...

Bourbon, pizzas and now spaghetti sauce cover Arkansas roadsCAMDEN, Ark. — It's a smorgasbord on Arkansas highways, with the third food spill in as many weeks. A truck driver distracted by a GPS unit crashed near the intersection of U.S. 278 and Arkansas 24 at Camden early Monday and spilled a truckload of spaghetti sauce. On Aug. 2, a tank car filled with bourbon crashed on Interstate 40 in eastern Arkansas and motorists on Interstate 30 had to leave the highway at Little Rock on Aug. 9 after a truck ...

Missouri man fatally shot by Arkansas national park rangerYELLVILLE — The National Park Service says a Missouri man was fatally shot by a park ranger in northern Arkansas when he refused to drop a weapon he was carrying. The park service says in a news release that 46-year-old Jonathan Bolger of Branson was killed in the shooting early Sunday at Buffalo River National Park near Yellville, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Little Rock. The release says Bolger was carrying a handgun when he was...

Site of sunken Civil War ship may become museum in ArkansasMARION— A sunken ship may turn into a tourist site in eastern Arkansas. A paddle wheel steamboat called the Sultana caught fire in 1865, just days after the end of the Civil War. Over 1,200 Union soldiers died, making it the biggest maritime disaster in U.S. history. The ship's wreckage currently rests underneath a soybean field in Marion where the Mississippi River once ran. Project Director Louis Intres tells KATV-TV that plans are in progre...